Almost 300 rockfall events, 3 quakes logged in Mayon in last 24 hours

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 295 rockfall events, three volcanic earthquakes, two pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), and two lava front collapse PDCs were recorded on Mayon Volcano, which remains under Alert Level 3, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

The number of rockfall events and volcanic earthquakes dropped from 397 and four, respectively, monitored on July 2, while the PDCs remained at two.

In its 5 a.m. bulletin, Phivolcs said that Mayon continues its “intensified unrest or magmatic unrest,” and its “very slow” effusion of lava flow stayed 2.7 kilometers (km) along Mi-isi Gully and 1.3 km along Bonga Gully.

On the other hand, two more lava flows on both gullies also remained at 3.3 km and 4 km along Basud Gully.

Meanwhile, the volcano had an increase of sulfur dioxide emission daily, from 864 tons logged on Sunday to 962 tons recorded on Monday, with plumes reaching 500 meters tall before drifting west and west-northwest drift.

Phivolcs warned residents near the volcano that rockfalls, landslides, avalanches, ballistic fragments, lava flows, and moderate-sized explosions, among others, might occur amid its unrest.

On June 29, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Mayon’s continuous volcanic activity had affected 41,532 individuals or 10,655 families from 26 barangays within the Bicol Region.

Displaced residents slightly increased to 20,181; they currently stay in more than 30 evacuation centers.

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